21st Anniversary Commemoration of Ogoni Martyrs

Text of a Statement By Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, President of MOSOP, on the Occasion of the Memorial Service held on November 11, 2016, in Bane, Ogoniland, for the 21st Anniversary Commemoration of Ogoni Martyrs and the passing away of Ken Wiwa Jr.

On 10th November 1995, the Ogoni nation suffered a devastating blow. The Nigeria government and Shell murdered nine Ogoni sons in cold blood for standing up for the truth and for justice. That action routed the world to see things for the first time in the way that we saw things. That singular action exposed the deep abyss of bestiality and brigandage in which Nigeria had sunk. That action signaled to the world that groups like the Ogoni people are imperiled and may not get justice, dignity and any sense of decency in this country called Nigeria. It demonstrated that the Nigeria system was not working for most of its people.

As we remind ourselves each year, at this hour on the 10th of November 1995, their souls fell silent. The executive murder of the Ogoni heroes had gone down in history as the greatest blot on Nigeria’s conscience.

On the 18th October 2016, Ogoni again suffered another devastating loss as Ken Wiwa Jr., the son of our icon and legendary leader, Ken Saro-Wiwa fell into the discomforting embrace of the numbing and icy hands of death. It is the saddest story that had been delivered to us this year. Ken Wiwa Jr., MOSOP miss you, Ogoni miss you, Ogoni mourns you!!!

My co-travellers, this day, this moment, this hour, we dedicate to our dead. We remember all of them that had laid down their lives for this struggle: Ken Saro-Wiwa, Chief Edward Kobani, Albert Badey, John Kpuinen, Barinem Kiobel, Chief S.N. Orage, NorduEawo, Chief T.B.Orage, Saturday Dobee, Daniel Gbokoo, Paul Levura, BariborBera, Garrick Leton and Felix Nuate

There are also many others who were cut down unsung in the course of the efforts by the Nigeria state to make our struggle stillborn and kill its message. This day is also dedicated to these unsung heroes, over two thousands of them who also fell to the numbing gunshots of the military. This day is also dedicated to the thousands of victims of the ongoing environmental terrorism in Ogoni nay the Niger Delta. They are equally the heroes being remembered on this occasion.

On this day, we join thousands of sympathizers to mourn the passing away of Ken Wiwa Junior. Today, we talk about UNEP report, most people do not know that Ken Wiwa Jr., had been one of the unsung heroes of UNEP report who worked behind the scene to make things happen even during the period of the assessment. He collaborated with the team of experts from KREDDHA to make strategic interventions with the UNEP team during the period of the assessment. He was also with us during the period of the negotiations in Abuja, Nigeria and travelled with us to Geneva, Switzerland to make his own modest contributions to what is today the proposed UNEP implementation process. We would miss him dearly particularly at this critical stage of the process when we need unity, consensus and peace in Ogoniland to move the process forward.

All these men and women that we remember and mourn today had lived their lives in deeds, not in years and words. They had lived their lives in action and in making sacrifices for Ogoniland.

These men and women have given us a legacy from the past on which to build the future. These heroes had given us tremendous virtues of determination, of compassion and self-confidence, but most of all, of service to humanity.

Their spirits will continue to draw us all together in our time of need. Their spirit will continue to fire our zeal and unity. Their deaths can never be in vain. Our ultimate resolve from this gathering today is our unshakable pledge that we will work together for peace, progress and unity in Ogoniland.

As we meditate over today, our top priority remains to take care of what our fallen heroes care about and had passed on to us: Our Ogoniland, our environment , ourselves and our communities. This means that we have work to do if we have all resolved that their deaths shall never be in vain. It means that we need each other. It means that our fight for a fair share of the economic resources in our land, our fight for a better environment, our fight for political inclusion and representation and our fight for social justice must continue.

On this note, we call on the Nigeria government to seize the opportunity of this period to clear the names of the Ogoni nine.The continuing refusal of the Nigeria government to clear the names of the Ogoni nine even after a United Nations Fact Finding Team had declared that their trials were disrespectful of and fell foul of international law and standards remains the greatest disservice to the memory of these men. Successive Nigeria administrations have failed to do the needful by clearing the names of these men who were unjustly tried, condemned and then murdered. On this memorial, we are sending a strong request to the President Muhammadu Buhari -led administration to immediately set in motion the process for clearing the names of these innocent men.

Whilst commending the Federal Government for the renewed interest in the implementation of UNEP report, we are seizing this opportunity to urge the Federal Government to remove every obstacles to the full implementation of the UNEP Report. We also call on Shell Oil and all the joint venture partners to provide the resources necessary for the effective implementation of the Ogoniland clean-up project without any further delay.

To our people, in this period of mourning, I would assure you that MOSOP will continue to stand with you. We will stand with you in your mourning. We will stand with you as we endure the sweltering heat from the current economic climate. We would continue to stand with you to step up and lead in the face of discrimination and political denial where in two national budget cycles, Ogoni have been denied any contributions towards that budget because of no representation. We will continue to stand with our people who are frustrated with the way things are not working in our motherland.

In doing this, I pray that we must come together in ways that we have never done before, we must rethink our strategies, form new and stronger teams. We must hear out one another no matter our different interests, beliefs and political persuasions.We must learn to listen to ourselves. We must take some new and giant strides to do those things that we have always felt uncomfortable to do. We must all commit to take our gospel of unity, love, togetherness, peace and justice to new frontiers and impregnable fortresses. This is the only way we will develop creative solutions to build an Ogoni where justice, peace and freedom shall reign supreme. It is in coming together in this way and working in this manner that amid our mourning and sadness today, we can demonstrate to the world that we are marching forward together. This is the only better and enduring way to mourn and remember our heroes!

SHELL BLOG

Comments

Bonus Group: It is understandable that a niche now exists in the market for a company similar to BG Group, but for Neptune Energy to set its aim at emulating and becoming like BG is nothing short of horrifying. Why anyone should wish to recreate the inept management, twisted HR policies and rancid technical half truths of BG Group in order to deceive the shareholders is beyond comprehension. If they do, then the Serious Fraud Office should be on the alert. Sammy 'two pools', whose past remit included selling Enterprise Oil to Shell, rather than ENI is made of sterner stuff. That said, his nuclear ambitions did fall somewhat short of those of Kim Yong Un. Let's wish Neptune Energy a long, scandal free future and greater integrity than bungling BG with its House of Cards and flamboyant ineptitude.

Bogus Group: Following the acquisition of Engie the Financial Times headline “Neptune Energy sets aim on being the next BG Group” may have sent a chill through some. To think there could possibly be a rise from the ashes is an alarming prospect
However there was some comfort in the company chairman statement “We have the opportunity to take the time to get it right”.
Hopefully this means their Ethics and Compliance foundation will actually be more than just another policy open to distortion by misconduct.

Bill Campbell: Is the New York City case against Oil Companies justifiable or just hot air?

Many, if not all prestigious US scientific journals estimate largest source of air pollution in US is caused by vehicle emissions. Current estimates that US has some 260 million automobiles and 11 million trucks. It is the daily emissions from these vehicles that are the cause of scientific concern. But anybody visiting Florida, and following a construction truck, will be familiar with black smoke in copious amounts emitting from the vertical exhaust pipe, sometimes it's so bad it can restrict your vision but Florida is not the only state of the US that does not require emission control, there are many more, monitoring for example (like a UK vehicle MOT) is not legally required or carried out.

So perhaps De Blasio should start suing these delinquent states.

In any case, I find the whole matter ludicrous in a country, where their President claims that human activity is not related in any way to global warming and appoints a head of EPA who is also so inclined (a man described by NY Times as an arsonist in the Fire Station) so why does Shell et all not call as witnesses in their defence the current EPA Director, or otherwise why does De Blasio not start by suing those states that allow millions of vehicles to pollute the atmosphere daily.
Bill

Bonus Group: Further to my last post on this blog. Sound Energy have now arranged a slap-up bean feast for their shareholders to be held on 15th February at Grace Hall, Leadenhall Street, London. Drinks at Carriages afterwards. Dress is formal so don't expect too energetic a food fight. Attendees must pay for their own tickets! All will be revealed about the new Coro strategy. You may recall that Sound shareholders will receive Coro shares as a result of the divestment of Sound's Italian assets. The question is whether Sound shareholders will end up in the soup.

Bonus Group: There are rumblings in the ether about Rockhopper Exploration plc having failed to perform Due Diligence with integrity in respect of their purchase of the Italian focused company Mediterranean Oil and Gas (MOG) in 2014, and in particular MOG's asset, the Ombrina Mare oil field.
Following the decision in February 2016 by the Ministry of Economic Development not to award the company a production concession covering the Ombrina Mare field, the company has considered its legal options with regard to obtaining damages and compensation from the Republic of Italy for breaching the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT).
Could this have anything to do with the sudden and unexpected departure of Rockhopper's Chief Operating Officer, one 'Good Time' Fiona MacAuley? Fiona, a Chartered Geologist, started her career with Mobil North Sea Limited in 1985 and has subsequently held key roles in a number of leading oil and gas firms across large mid and small cap E&Ps including BG and Hess.
Fiona is now Chief Executive Officer of Echo Energy plc where Stephen Whyte (also ex BG) is a Non-Executive Director, previously having been Chairman of Sound Energy. Fiona will also become a Non-Executive Director of Saffron Energy plc. It is proposed that Saffron acquires Sound Energy's portfolio of Italian interests and permits through the acquisition by Saffron of Sound Energy Holdings Italy Limited (SEHIL). SEHIL holds all of Sound Energy's Italian oil and gas interests through its own wholly owned subsidiary, Apennine Energy SpA (APN). It is proposed that Saffron will be renamed Coro Energy plc.
This is yet another 'reverse takeover' by the Sound Energy/Echo Energy Team. The share options for the directors are raining on them like confetti. Could there be bonuses in store for the Directors of this association of companies where the paint is never allowed to dry?
Plenty of 'smoke and mirrors' and wool being pulled over the shareholders' eyes in this can of worms.

Bogus Group: No doubt Chevron and partner Serica Energy will have their legal and commercial teams in action. Production on the partner owned Erskine platform has been shut down due to a blockage in the Chrysaor operated Lomond - Everest pipeline export route. Chrysaor purchased the assets from Shell who in turn inherited from BG Group.
Déjà vu springs to mind, as the Chevron partnership’s revenue was affected two years ago, due to a blockage in the same pipeline when BG Group was the operator.
The well-touted “lessons learned” jargon, will no doubt be on the lips of these companies executives as they scurry to apportion blame.
In a previous post Bonus Group stated “BG shrapnel has fragmented in the direction of Tailwind Energy”
This appears to be a similar story as other BG shrapnel (both operations and legal) moved to Chrysaor via the Shell route.
I’m sure the Chrysaor mob will feel comfortable dealing with the legal and commercial issues experienced with BG Group (later Shell), as it will be the same rhetoric for the causal factors. However Chevron and Serica may want to dig a bit deeper into the previous incident, to see how BG Group dealt with this, the transparency of reporting and who was made accountable.

Ornithologist: If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it may well turn out not to be a penguin!

Bonus Group: BG shrapnel has fragmented in the direction of Tailwind Energy (aka Tailspin Energy!). Much hot air from after-burn can be expected from this company - mercurial bunch. In December they announced the acquisition of Shell Expro's interests in Triton Cluster, located in the UK Central North Sea 190km east of Aberdeen. Their stated intention is to further develop the asset. Probably through a three pronged approach: bonus, bonus and more bonus! Will Triton turn-out to be a flounder?

Bill Campbell: End of ammunition supply!
Not sure what the ammunition comment means, are you being positive or negative. If Shell keep supplying the ammo well this website is under no obligation not to use it surely. We would all like the ammo to dry up. It would be pleasant to see the most corrupt organisation in Europe turn the corner, and for example demonstrate daily openness,honesty and integrity instead of serial lies. When I say it's a corrupt organisation I do not infer this characteristic on the worker bees, but it is clearly corrupt from the top to the top, that is in its boardroom, including the non-executives who tend to know what goes on but sit on their hands, anything for an easy life. Highly paid window dressing.

Ammunition: Mr Donovan, Shell seems to have provided you with a huge amount of ammunition over the years. Is there any end in sight?

Royal Dutch and The Law: Hello website, can I suggest that if the Dutch and Itailian Prosecution services are not aware of the Shell /police authority "happenings" in Eire, that they should be and quickly.

Shell Corrib Corruption: Mr D I make the reference of a link with police heroin dealing inquiry on this fact Athlone police station ( Heroin hub ) was the chosen destination for the balance of the Shell alcohol consignment on the instruction of Garda Sub Aqua SUPREMO Liam Grimes so that's drugs and alcohol meeting in the same police station "of all the police stations in all the world you had to walk into mine "...is there a " link. "Time will tell ...we recognise that 99 out of 100 Irish police personnel are amongst the finest in Europe....however ....

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